A machine, such as a cold planar, may typically include a conveyor installed therein. The conveyor may be employed for receiving material from a cutting tool of the machine, and further conveying the received material out of the machine or to another section of the machine. The conveyor may be folded during travel and transport of the machine to reduce an effective size of the machine.
The conveyer may include hydraulic cylinders for folding the conveyer. In many situations, the machine may employ counterbalance valves for the hydraulic cylinders to hold the conveyor in a folded position. The retention provided by the conveyor hydraulic cylinders may not be adequate to hold the conveyer in the folded position, and in many situations, may result in leakage of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic system. Hence, there is a need for an improved coupling mechanism for such a folding conveyor.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,347,311 describes a mechanism for a foldable vehicle conveyor having an axis, inner and outer sections and a joint connecting the sections. The outer section is pivotable between a deployed position and a folded position at which the outer section is disposed above the inner section. A linkage displaces the outer section between the two positions and includes a drive link pivotable on the inner section. A connector link is pivotably connected with the drive link and with the outer section. The linkage moves between a deployed limit position where the drive link centerline extends parallel to the conveyor axis and the connector link centerline extends perpendicularly to the conveyor axis. A folded limit position where the drive link centerline is generally perpendicular to the conveyor axis and the connector link centerline is generally parallel to and above the conveyor axis. An actuator displaces the linkage between the two positions.